On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed Rev. Deacon Gabriel Galifianakis to the Archdiocese Headquarters to offer his blessing upon the Deacon's new assignment as the assistant priest for the Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Washington, D.C. effective February 1, 2024. His ordination to the priesthood will be held on May 12, 2024 at the Dormition Church in Southampton, New York with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros presiding.

Rev. Deacon Gabriel Galifianakis was born and baptized in Jamaica, Queens, New York. At the age of 6 his family moved to Riverhead, Long Island, New York, where he attended elementary, middle and high school, graduating from Riverhead High School in 2009. He is a graduate of our Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (January 2023) with the degree of Master of Divinity (high honors). Deacon Gabriel and the former Samantha Baum, also of Riverhead were married on August 21, 2021. While attending Holy Cross, Deacon Gabriel was chosen to be the Chapel Ecclesiarch because of his great love for the liturgical tradition of the Church. Additionally, his academic areas of interest were dogmatics, Patristics, and Old Testament hermeneutics. Also pictured is the Chancellor of the Archdiocese District Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Elias Villis and Rev. Archdeacon Dionysios Papiris.

Photo: GOARCH